| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| wheelie |
Posted - 30 Sep 2009 : 7:31:33 PM
question in the title really  just wondered what everyone used and why? my mares thirteeen now and can be a little clicky .im also probabaly taking on a 16 year ol tbxdales so would like something just to keep them well oiled |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sue J |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 7:43:07 PM
I think it is really a case of finding what works for the individual, horse and human. A friend of mine uses Permanax and really rates it. I have tried it for myself but didn't notice any difference whatsoever.
I use Equine America Glucosamine on 2 of my older mares and i'm sure it keeps them more mobile but my gelding has been on Synequin (by prescription) for 2 or 3 yrs now and I find it really helps him with an old stifle injury and resulting stiffness. Although quite a lot of money to lay out for a tub, it does last quite a while. |
| garnet |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 12:12:18 AM
Thanks for that, Maureen. I haven't come across Permanax before, and the only other person I know who has used Cartrophen sadly lost her mare quite soon after starting on it, so this has given me something else to consider before the next Cartrophen course is due. I just don't feel that it is making much difference to her now whereas the bute or Danilon clearly makes her less stiff. |
| blissy |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 9:51:48 PM
My mare had Cartrophen twice yearly for two years she had a clicking knee and high ring bone in her left front, she looked quite lame on a circle. There was a slight improvement after the Cartrophen but x rays were taken at the time the Cartrophen was prescribed and my brilliant farrier changed her to alloy shoes and trimmed using the x rays which could have been the reason for the improvement. I tried adding Cortaflex HA and did not notice any difference. I then tried her on Pernamax. Can't say how pleased I am with the results no more clicking in the knee and much improvement on the circle so I stopped the Cartrophen, nine months later she is still improving. I intend to do more x rays in April this year as hoping to see if we have managed to stop the ring bone from progressing. I have used Permanax for eight months now.
Maureen |
| garnet |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 1:03:09 PM
Does anyone else have any experience of Cartrophen? Garnet has been having a course of injections twice a year for something like 5 or 6 years, as well as Cortaflex HA on vet's advice and Super Solvitax RA, started when we used to win it in Veteran classes. For the last year or so I have been giving her bute for a few days before shoeing to help her pick her feet up (she has big stiff knees and is still shod in front to give her some support although she is now retired). My husband, who has been looking after Garnet and Red because of my illness, commented on how much better she was moving during her last bute course so she is now having Danilon every day. The plan was to use it every other day but she has been having it every day during this weather as she refuses to be stabled even for a short period of time. I am now wondering whether to just use the Danilon instead of the Cartrophen? Any ideas? |
| Emma B |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 1:41:48 PM
have a look at permanax that is good for arthritic horses |
| Silvern_Scepris |
Posted - 25 Oct 2009 : 11:06:20 PM
I use Cosequin and it has worked wonders with my 16 yo. I buy it from the states where it is the same price for 1400 grams as it is over here for 700g, and it smells divine!! |
| Red Rum |
Posted - 23 Oct 2009 : 10:08:15 PM
HI I tried expensive treatment but found that pure glucosamine is the best. £15 a pot and last for ages. My boy is sixteen but behaves like a four year old. Mandy |
| Pasha |
Posted - 20 Oct 2009 : 11:43:27 AM
The new one (or was a few years ago when I first tried it) was Equistro Artphyton... I wasn't that impressed so looked it up on t'internet and found Equistro Flexadin! LOVE it 
As with anything, search the net for the cheapest place to buy 
ETS: Just looked them up:
Artphyton = Devils Claw + Glucosamine
Flexadin = Devils Claw, Glucosamine, Chodroitin Sulphate + Manganese
Also looked up Cosequin.... this is Glucosamine, Chodroitin Sulphate + Manganese
Sxx |
| lehla |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 9:46:50 PM
pasha please could i ask what this new joint supplement is your using as im always intrested in what works for other people thanks lehla |
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 6:51:11 PM
I had my boy on NJS for a couple of years and it worked well, only switched to Cosequin when I had an insurance claim and they paid for it!
may well be switching back soon as cosequin so much outlay at once.... however... I have a friend in america who comes over about twice a year and it's only £75 a tub over there!!  So if he can get it through in his suitcase he's bringing me some  |
| Pasha |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 09:54:41 AM
From what I can gather there are two completely (maybe 3 if you add in the Newmarket Joint Supplement (NJS) view) schools of thought, on Glucosamine and what works:
(1) Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCL or HCI) is the only one with molecules small enough to be absorbed into the blood but you need Chondroitin Sulphate to act as the absorption agent (apologies if I am not using the correct terms - i'm no scientist)
(2) What's the point in adding Sulphate, it cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream, so use Glucosamin Sulphate instead and problem solved!
Then there are the NJS peeps who agree with (1) that Glucosamine HCl is the only one that works, but they do not feel it needs anything in order to help it be absorbed into the blood stream!
After all my research (like to make sure i'm giving Pasha the best thing lol!), I decided that the NJS was the best way to go, as did my vet who keeps telling me to 'stop wasting money and just feed pure Glucosamine' BUT it wasn't as great as I thought it was going to be and rather than give-up and resign ourselves to old age, badgered the vet again!
He then gave me a pot of something new.... didn't rate that much either, but the same company did something different which was Glucosamine HCI, Chondroitin Sulphate and Devils Claw! IT IS FANTASTIC! And really works for Pasha - he wasn't stiff the whole time he was on it whilst on box rest for Cushings induced Lami last winter.
Only mistake I made was to take him off it as was told that Glucosamine can cause Laminitis! He is now back on it, thank goodness!
Like anything though, you have to trial and error what works for you and your horse! One thing i have learned though, if it is going to work, you see results in days, not weeks, so if it's not working, move on and try something different |
| wheelie |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 7:14:03 PM
Vera , My vet also recommended this supplement for my old boy maybe the same vet im in dorset. Cant say i saw any change but then he was never ever stiff!think he recommened it as he had an old injury flair up once on his hock.I must admit i had completly forgot hed recommended this supplement to me! |
| Vera |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 4:15:56 PM
I find different vets opinions very interesting as my vet says there is no point in feeding Chondroitin as the molecules are too big to be adbsorbed through the gut.
He recommends Newmarket Joint Supplement - 99% pure Glucosamine, which Dennis has been on since his op in 2006.
He is a leading orthopedic surgeon.
Regarding Cortaflex, I wonder if people realise that it doesn't contain any Glucosamine, nor Chondroitin..... |
| flosskins |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 3:53:36 PM
both me and my horse have arthritis so i've had chance to get a good idea of what works. codliver oil is great for both - do notice a difference with that. cortaflex (the green lid) didn't work very well for me but worked very well for my mare - noticed a big difference in her after a couple of weeks on it. the things to look for are good levels of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM, an ingredient often forgetten when looking for joint supplements but very important. so anything that contains this should be effective, but look for either the highest levels you can or the more expensive cortaflex products - although they have lower levels they are in smaller formats so absorbed much better. |
| Nichole Waller |
Posted - 10 Oct 2009 : 5:13:39 PM
I use one by Riaflex that has glucosamine, MSM and Chondroitin in. My welsh x arab mare is 16 and has arthritis in all four legs....
I did use cortaflex for a good few years and then noticed that she was getting stiff again. My vet then recommended cosequin which i used for as long as the insurance company would pay for it... then i found riaflex.
I printed the info off of the website (just type riaflex into google) and gave it to my vet to read. I asked him if the dosage was as good as cosequin. He felt it was better as it contained slightly higher levels of all three components.
My mare can now be ridden three or four times a week in walk / trot with the occasional canter if the ground is soft enough. We even took her hunting (cubbing) this morning for the first time in 2 years and she absolutely loved it. We only stayed out just over an hour as i was riding my 4 year old and it was his first time.... and we only had one short canter. I'd definitely recommend riaflex. Without it i don't think i'd be able to ride my mare... |
| Gemma |
Posted - 07 Oct 2009 : 10:52:59 AM
I had a long chat to my vet about this recently, with Marygold's arthritis diagnosis.
His opinion was that the two vital ingredients are glucosamine and chonditrin. If you want to give the horse Hyaluronic Acid, you are better off having it injected into the joint rather than feeding it as a supplement. It will get ingested by the horse if given as supplement, so it's dose will be a fraction of that injected, making it much less efficative (is that even a word?! I think I made that one up).
Marygold is currently on a supplement of just Glucosamine and MSM - equine america I think (white and green tub with a green lid). Once I've used that up, I will be looking to put her onto a supplement that has the chonditrin in - that is vital, according to the vet.
Hope that helps. |
| templars |
Posted - 04 Oct 2009 : 11:30:10 AM
We use Equine Nutrition's Easy Joint for Performance Horses along with their electrolytes and nucleotide mix.
Anything with arthritis or wear and tear, we also give a Devil's Claw or NoBute periodically just to reduce any inflammation.
The non competition horses get cider vinegar and cod liver oil as well if they are getting bit creaky with age. |
| georgiauk |
Posted - 03 Oct 2009 : 10:54:22 PM
Premierflex HA every time, far cheaper than most on the market brands and has higher levels of Glucosamine, Chondroitin AND Hyaluronic Acid
|
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 03 Oct 2009 : 2:25:30 PM
I had a long chat with the lady from equine america yesterday ... and interestingly she said the cortaflex with the GREEN lid ( about £60.00 a tub) was absolutally NO USE WHAT SO EVER for horse with arthritus etc she sais it was for maintanance only for healthy joints and if the horse had any form of DJD / wear and tear then only the cortaflex HA with the YELLOW LID would work!
To say I was gobsmacked was an understatment!
so I'll stick with what I've got  |
| barbara.gregory |
Posted - 02 Oct 2009 : 10:13:00 PM
Cortaflex without a doubt. I don't use it as I don't need to but I get it from a supplier a bit cheaper for several friends and they all swear by it. Two ponies were going to be PTS as they were really stiff and arthritic and often had trouble getting up. That was 5 years ago and they are running around their field with no sign of stiffness after being on Cortaflex.
You need to give it a proper trial; it can work quite quickly but does sometimes take several months to see much benefit. Give it six months befroe saying it hasn't worked.
I know it doesn't always work but it is what i will use if the need ever arises.
barbara |
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 3:41:02 PM
cosequin is the best I've tried and is prescribed from the vet.
The available glucosemine and msm is proportionlly a lot higher then off the shelf stuff so although it LOOKS expensive it lasts ages ( my latest tub has been on the go for 6 months at the recommended dose! ) |
| alethea |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 10:48:13 AM
I like to use the Equine America range of products. I have found them to be very effective
Alethea
Aristotle Arabians
********** |
| garnet |
Posted - 30 Sep 2009 : 10:20:27 PM
Garnet is on Cortaflex HA and Super Solvitax RA and has a course of 4 Cartrophen injections twice a year. |
| Emma B |
Posted - 30 Sep 2009 : 9:35:34 PM
cortaflex HA liquid does wonders for my boy |
| Pauline |
Posted - 30 Sep 2009 : 9:24:04 PM
I like all the NAF products and had some very good results from them.
Pauline |
